Our vet pointed out that our 2-year-old Lab, Daisy, gained too much weight since the summer. Over the summer she was 60 lbs, but now she is 70. The vet says she still has a waist, which is good; but her ribs are too covered up with fat.

We feed her dry food two times a day. Also, she jogs each morning with DH.

I had been feeding her 3 cups of dry food a day, which is obviously too much for her as that caused such a big gain. Last week, the vet cut her back to two cups a day.

So it has been 2 weeks . . . and she seems ravenously hungry :( Today I am giving her 2 1/4 cups to see if she seems more satisfied :scratch

But do y'all think 2 cups is too little for her, or she is just having to adjust?

Apple-Saucy

01-22-2009, 06:15 AM

My Best Friend is a Vet. Her recomendation is feed the dog's hunger. If the dog Wolfs down her food she's still hungry, if the dog picks at her food or leaves some behind you're feeding her too much.

The fact that your dog goes jogging with your DH everyday means that she is burning A LOT of fuel, Her weight gain may be due to the fact that she is gaining MUSCLE.

Johns_Gal

01-22-2009, 06:29 AM

Ah, labs. We can't win with ours, his weight yoyos constantly. In the summer, he just picks at food, but runs and swims *everywhere*, so he becomes so thin. :(
In the winter? He looks pregnant. :shifty He is free choice fed, so I figure he does what he needs to. When I can do it, he and the other dog get meat a few times a week and they are both sleek and shiny practically overnight, but that just doesn't happen as often as I'd like.

Bowie always maintains his weight... maybe a five pound difference over the year, and he is a big dog so that's nothing. But Coal? *sigh* I feel your pain.

JessicaTX

01-22-2009, 06:58 AM

That doesn't sound like much, my 2 little dogs get their kibble bowl filled morning and night and get a raw drumstick to snack on once a day. Neither one looks even remotely chubby.

SouthPaw

01-22-2009, 07:06 AM

My 55 and my 80 pound dog both get 3 cups a day to maintain weight. Most dogs will eat if given the opportunity unless they are completely satiated, so I am not surprised your dog 'acts' hungry, especially if specific behaviors like going to the food bowl or food container get her fed - she knows what works :shifty

liamum

01-22-2009, 07:14 AM

Most dogs will eat if given the opportunity unless they are completely satiated, so I am not surprised your dog 'acts' hungry, especially if specific behaviors like going to the food bowl or food container get her fed - she knows what works

:giggle true. Well our Dachshund is more of a self-regulator when it comes to dog food so I am not used to the Lab mentality :)

Singingmom

01-22-2009, 07:22 AM

I voted 3 cups, but it's really more like 4 I think. We fill his bowl twice a day. He runs a lot during the day and he seems very fit. He's a Brittany.

CakeLady

01-22-2009, 08:03 AM

We feed our 100+ lb dog 3 cups a day. The amount you feed depends on the type/brand of food you feed. Something from the grocery store has a lot of filler, so they need more and poop more. Read the back of the bag...it's usually right on.

liamum

01-22-2009, 08:14 AM

We feed our 100+ lb dog 3 cups a day. The amount you feed depends on the type/brand of food you feed. Something from the grocery store has a lot of filler, so they need more and poop more. Read the back of the bag...it's usually right on.

Thank you. We use Canidae since it was highly reviewed and is organic.

SouthPaw

01-22-2009, 08:19 AM

Great food :tu Does she get any bones/chewies/treats etc? Sometimes when people are in my training classes I have them cut back on food a little b/c the (healthy) treats make up for it.

liamum

01-22-2009, 08:37 AM

Great food :tu Does she get any bones/chewies/treats etc? Sometimes when people are in my training classes I have them cut back on food a little b/c the (healthy) treats make up for it.

Uh - this depends on the day :lol and DS loves giving her treats it is true!

SouthPaw

01-22-2009, 08:50 AM

:) Just like humans, one unhealthy "snack" (and I give my dogs treats too ;) ) can add up the calories. So just be aware and don't feel bad cutting down on the food a little if she is getting the calories elsewhere. 2 1/4 c does sound reasonable though. Most people honestly keep their dogs a little overweight because they don't know what a healthy, fit dog looks like. We think that a little plumper means healthy and happy... or maybe that's just a Southern thing :giggle You should be able to feel the ribs and just be able to see them, as well as see a noticeable waist. Just get her there and then you may be able to increase again a little to maintain weight instead of dropping it. :)

liamum

01-22-2009, 09:49 AM

Thank you, Kathrine. It is hard when we are saturated by a culture where food =love.

Amber

01-22-2009, 01:25 PM

My lab is aroudn 55-60lbs and get 2 cups of food a day. If I let her, she would eat a lot more :shifty

When she was younger we fed her about 3 cups a day, but about a year or two ago I noticed that she was getting a little heavier, so we started cutting back a little.

liamum

01-22-2009, 01:59 PM

My lab is aroudn 55-60lbs and get 2 cups of food a day. If I let her, she would eat a lot more :shifty

When she was younger we fed her about 3 cups a day, but about a year or two ago I noticed that she was getting a little heavier, so we started cutting back a little.